Positioning mechanism



Aug. 17, 1965 w. P. RYAN 3,200,927

POSITIONING MECHANISM 4 Filed Nov. 18, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 VERTICALPULSER PULSER TOR STEPPER Fig.2

INVENTOR WILLIAM I? RYAN BY M Aug. 17, 1965 w, Y N 3,200,927

POSITIONING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 18. 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.5

VERTICAL PULSER HORIZONTAL PULSER RETURN ARM HAMMER O7bpmfet0oj6918vwucnrisq25 v xkyg hdlz34 k-VWUCNRISQ@% l INVENTOR /4XKYG H0|.2#$WLLIAMPRYAN 2 2 2 22--2 2 2"2 22 2 BY .0441

2 2 2 2 MORNYS United States Patent gorpioration, Port Chester, N.Y., acorporation of New Filed Nov. 18, 196i), Ser. No. 70,330 Claims. (Cl.197-116) This invention relates broadly to mechanisms for variablypositioning shafts in response to digital information; more particularlyit relates to positioning mechanism for type matrices having steppermechanisms operable in response to digital codes representative of typeon the type matrix for selectively positioning a type matrix; andspec1lically it relates to a matrix positioning mechanism havmg steppermechanisms which are controlled by pulse generators selectivelyconditioned by digital codes representative of type on the type matrix.

An object of the invention is to acting digital to analogue device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel type matrixpositioning mechanism.

Another object of the invention is in the provision of a type matrixpositioning mechanism selectively responsive to digital codesrepresentative of type on the type matrix for variably positioning saidtype matrix to selected positions and back to a home position in rapidfashion.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which like referencenumerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof andwherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view, partly diagrammatic, of positioning mechanismin accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view showing a pulse generator structurediagrammatically illustrated in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view more clearly illustrating thelatching mechanism shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational View showing the stepper mechanism of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the stepper homing mechanismshown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a view of a cylindrical type matrix layout; and

FIGURE 7 is a timing diagram.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference charactersdesignate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views thereis shown in FIGURE 1 positioning mechanism responsive to bit cables 2, 22 2 2 2 and 2 respectively for controlling the angular position ofhorizontal and vertical matrix positioning shafts l1 and 12respectively. The bit cables may be selectively activated by a keyboardencoder as disclosed in copending application Serial No. 23,079 of W. P.Ryan, now Patent No. 3,032,165. As in said copending application the 2,2 and 2 (shift bit) cables are operative to position the verticalpositioning shaft and the 2 2 2 and 2 bits are operative to position thehorizontal positioning shaft.

As shown in FIGURE 1 three drive shafts l3, 14 and 15 respectively aredriven by a motor 16 through suitable gearing at predetermined speeds.

Drive shaft 13 is adapted to be coupled to a cam shaft 17 havingassociated therewith as will hereinafter appear a horizontal and avertical pulsing unit 18 and 19 respectively. The horizontal pulsingunit 18 controls a horizontal stepper mechanism 21 whereby drive shaft14 is variably coupled to the horizontal output shaft 11 and thevertical pulsing unit 19 controls a vertical stepper mechaprovide asimple fast nism 22 whereby drive shaft 15 is variably coupled topositioning shaft 12.

In that the vertical and horizontal positioning mechanisms are identicalexcept as to the number of elements and except as will be pointed outinfra only the vertical positioning mechanism is shown in detail in thedrawings.

As seen in FIGURE 1 drive shaft 13 is adapted to be coupled to cam shaft17 upon actuation of a one revolu tion clutch, generally designated byreference numeral 23, which is responsive to movement of any one or moreof bit cables 2 -2 in a manner disclosed in said copending application.Bit cables 2, 2 are also operative together with the shift or 2 bitcable to condition switching circuits in the vertical pulsing unit 19.The bit cables 2 -2 are also operative to condition switching circuitsin the horizontal pulsing unit 18. The conditioned switching circuits inunits 18 and 19 are operative by elements on the cam shaft, as will beapparent with reference to FIGURE 2, to deliver electrical pulses tosolenoids, the vertical solenoid being designated by reference numeral24, which are operative to control associated escapement or steppermechanisms 21 and 22 to thereby connect drive shafts 14 and 15 to thehorizontal and vertical positioning shafts 11 and 12.

Referring now to FIGURE 2 the vertical pulser comprises three discs 25,26, and 27, respectively, fixed for rotation with cam shaft 17 andhaving respectively 1, 2 and 3 switching lobes 28, adapted to produce atrain of up to 6 electrical pulses. Associated with each disc is aswitch assembly comprising a pair of spaced resilient front and backcontact arms 31 and 32 respectively joined to an insulating base 33common to all of the switch assemblies. As seen more clearly in FIGURE 3each front contact arm 31 is formed with an arcuate tip 34 which isadapted to be engaged and moved toward a back contact arm 32 by theswitching lobes 28 on its associated disc. The front and back contactarms are normally spaced such that the movement of the front contactarms 31 by the switching lobes 25 is not sufficient to bring thecontacts 35 on associated contact arms together. As seen in FIGURES 2and 3 each back contact arm 32 is connected to an assoated bit cable andis provided with a hooked portion 36 on its upper end which, when thecontact arm 32 is displaced toward contact arm 31 by the bit cable, willlatchingly engage the hooked end 37 of a flexible latch 38 that is fixedat its other end to a stationary cross shaft 35 With a contact arm 32 inlatched position, movement of its associated front contact arm 31 byswitching lobes 28 will complete a circuit between a voltage source 41and ground through the solenoid 24-. As shown in FIGURE 2 and as isevident from the timing diagram of FIGURE 7 the lobes 2% on each discare angularly displaced such that pulses from switches associated withdiscs 25, 26 and 2? occur serially in time. After a predetermined periodsufficient for all the lobes 28 to pass the arcuate tip 34 on associatedcontact arms 31 in the vertical pulsing unit as seen from FIGURE 7), acam 42 on the cam shaft 17 operates on a cam follower 4-3 on one of twospaced arms 44 to raise a bail 45 secured between the arms, thereby tounlatch all of the latched contact arms 32 preparatory to another cycle.

The horizontal pulsing unit is similar except that it comprises fourdiscs having 1, 2, 4 and 6 switching lobes operative on associatedswitches to produce a train of up to 13 electrical pulses as is evidentfrom FIGURE 7. The resetting of latched contacts in the horizontalpulsing unit is similarly accomplished after of cam shaf rotation.

The vertical stepper mechanism 22 comprises as shown in FIGURES 1 and 4a six toothed escapement wheel 51 (the horizontal positioning mechanismwill be provided with a 13 toothed escapement wheel having the sametooth spacing as the vertical escapement wheel) fastened to positioningshaft 12. A drive arm 52 is fastened to the drive shaft 15. Pivoted on apin 53 which is fastened to the drive arm 52 is a connecting memberbetwen friction drive shoes 54 and 55 which are loaded into frictionalengagement with a drum 56 forming part of the escapement wheel 51 by aspring 57. As the crank arm '52 rotates, the friction shoes 54 and 55also rotate and tend to turn the escapement wheel 51. The wheel 51 isnormally held in position by the lower tooth 58 of an escapement pawl 59which is rotatively biased into engagement with the escapement wheel bya spring 61. The pawl 59 is connected to the armature of solenoid 24 bya link 62 so that upon energization of the solenoid by a pulse generatedby pulser 19 pawl 59 is rotated counterclockwise and releases theescapement wheel 51. Rotation of the escapement wheel brings one of itsteeth into engagement with the upper tooth 63 of the escapement pawlrocking or camming the pawl clockwise about its pivot a distancesufficient to effect a reduction of the magnetic force exerted by thesolenoid on the pawl thereby permitting the spring force to rotate thepawl back into escapement arresting position; the solenoid 24 beingdeenergized at this time. Subsequent pulses effect further incrementalrotation of shaft 12.

Referring to FIGURE the escapement wheel 51 is horned during the 180360interval of each cycle of cam shaft 17 by a cam 64 which acts on a camfollower arm 65 having a sector gear so on the opposite end whichcooperates with a gear 67 freely pivoted on shaft 12. Secured to gear 67is a return arm 68 which cooperates with a pin 69 on the escapementwheel to return the escapement wheel. During the first half of a camshaft cycle the return arm 68 is rotated clockwise in front of the pin6? on the escapement wheel so that the escapement wheel is free toescape, and during the latter part of the cycle it rotatescounterclockwise back to home position carrying with it the escapementwheel through engagement of pin 69. The horizontal stepper is similarlyhorned.

The cam shaft 17 also carries a cam (not shown) adapted to. actuate ahammer '71 (FIGURE 6) after a matrix 72 has been positioned by shafts 11and 12. The hammer is caused to strike at 180 as shown in FIGURE 7.Referring more particularly to FIGURE 6 there is illustrated a layout ofa cylindrical matrix in a home position showing the different positionsto which the matrix may be moved and the codes necessary to accomplishthe movement. As is illustrated the matrix may be moved upwardly fromone to six positions and simultaneously rotated from the home positionshown to one of 12 other positions. it is to be noted that the matrixmust always move vertically.

The operation of the instant apparatus may be followed with reference tothe matrix layout and timing diagram. Assume that the upper casecharacter W is called. This requires 5 units of vertical movement andunits of rotation to bring the W in front of hammer '71. Depression ofthe shift key and the character W on a keyboard will pull cables 2 2 and2 and 2 The actuation of these cables will condition the switchesassociated therewith and couple shaft 13 to the cam shaft 17. Since theswitches associated with cables 2 and 2 were conditioned the verticalpulser will deliver 5 pulses to vertical stepper solenoid 24 and thehorizontal pulser will deliver 10 pulses to the horizontal stepper.solenoid. Shafts 12 and 11 will therefore be driven by associated shaftsand 14 five and ten increments respectively thereby positioning, throughmechanism such as disclosed in said copending application, the W beforethe print hammer which will be activated at 189 cam shaft rotation.Thereafter the vertical and horizontal stepping devices will be hornedby their associated cam follower arms 65 preparatory to another printcycle.

It should be understood that the foregoing disclosure relates to only apreferred embodiment of the invention and that it is intended to coverall changes and modifications of the example of the invention hereinchosen for the purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitutedepartures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention claimed is:

l. Mechanism for converting combinations of simultaneously generatedsignals to corresponding rotary movements of an output shaft comprisingin combination, a driven shaft, escapement means adapted when actuatedto operably couple said driven and output shafts, a control shaft, onerevolution clutch means responsive-to said signals for connecting saiddriven and control shafts,

switch means selectively conditionable by said signals, switch operatingmeans on said control shaft operable on conditioned switch means togenerate a train of electrical pulses, and means operable to actuatesaid escapement means in response to each pulse in the train of pulsesgenerated.

2. Matrix positioning mechanism of the character described comprising ashaft drive source, a control shaft, a matrix positioning shaft, clutchmeans responsive to combinations of simultaneously generated signalscollectively representing information operable to couple said drivesource to said control shaft, escapement means adaptedto couple saiddrive source to said positioning shaft, and means selectivelyconditionable by said signals and operable in timed relation to therotation of said control shaft for operating said escapement means.

' 3. Matrix positioning mechanism of the character described comprisinga shaft drive source, a control shaft, first and second matrixpositioning shafts, clutch means responsive to combinations ofsimultaneously generated impulses collectively representing characterson said matrix operable to couple said drive source to said controlshaft, first and second escapement means adapted to couple said drivesource to said matrix positioning shafts, and meansselectivelyconditionable by said impulses and operable by said controlshaft for operating said escapement means for predetermined periodscorresponding to said impulse combinations whereby said first and secondmatrix positioning shafts are rotated through predetermined arcs.

4. Matrix positioning mechanism of the character described comprising amotive source, a cam shaft having a plurality of cams thereon, a matrixpositioning shaft, switch means selectively conditionable bycombinations of simultaneously generated impulses collectivelyrepresenting information, clutch means responsive to said impulses forcoupling said motive source and cam shaft, switching lobes on said camsadapted to close selectively conditioned switch means a predeterminednumber of times related to said information, escapement means adapted tocouple said motive source to said matrix positioning shaft, and meansresponsive to each closure of said switch means for operating saidescapement means.

. 5. Type matrix positioning mechanism of the character described forconverting combinations of simultaneously generated impulsesrepresenting characters on a type matrix into movement of an outputshaft adapted to selectively position characters on the type matrixopposite a printing plane, said mechanism comprising a drive source,

a cam shaft,

means responsive to impulses of each combination of impulses forcoupling a cycle of said source to said cam shaft,

means responsiveto impulses of each combination of impulses and to theoperation of said cam shaft for generating electrical pulse trainsduring the initial half cycle of said cam shaft,

escapement means connected between said output shaft and drive source,

means responsive to each pulse generated for releasing said escapementone increment,

and means associated with said cam shaft and said output shaft forhoming said escapernent means and said output shaft during the finalhalf cycle of said cam shaft.

References Cited by the Examiner 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 894,142 7/08Higgins 197-12 X 1,866,944 7/32 Spooner 17835 1,933,570 11/33 Trego197-12 X 2,139,103 12/38 Vanderhider 197-19X 10 Kennedy 178-35 Potts17835 Stenfors 197-48 Spencer 17835 Durkee 197-19 X Byrnes 178-23 ROBERTE. PUIJFREY, Primary Examiner. RICHARD J. HOFFMAN, Examiner.

1. MECHANISM FOR CONVERTING COMBINATIONS OF SIMULTANEOUSLY GENERATEDSIGNALS TO CORRESPONDING ROTARY MOVEMENTS OF AN OUTPUT SHAFT COMPRISINGIN COMBINATION, A DRIVEN SHAFT, ESCAPEMENT MEANS ADAPTED WHEN ACTUATEDTO OPERABLY COUPLE SAID DRIVEN AND OUTPUT SHAFTS, A CONTROL SHAFT, ONEREVOLUTION CLUTCH MEANS RESPONSIVE TO SAID SIGNALS FOR CONNECTING SAIDDRIVEN AND CONTROL SHAFTS, SWITCH MEANS SELECTIVELY CONDITIONABLE BYSAID SIGNALS,